The issue of women safety has recently been vigorously debated in India. One such argument supported by many men and opposed by most urban women is about the way girls should dress.
I was discussing this topic with friends at lunch. One of them was saying that revealing clothes shouldn't be warn. According to him it was responsible for agitating male's feelings which in some cases led to eve teasing or harassment. According to him, the frequency of rapes was related to the amount of stimulation such clothing gave. Neither he nor I knew the statistics of rape all over India but it can be safely said that rapes even occur in Indian villages where women rarely come out without their faces covered (by pallu or burkha).
Anyways, he and other person who joined him said that revealing clothes did distract them and most men which in general is “mentally harming” them. I told them that a few years back wearing of jeans and t-shirt was uncommon and at that time, even 'that' harmed 'mentally'. So, why was that gradually accepted? This is because, the society evolves to new changes. After a few years, this revealing thing would also become normal in society. However, they did not agree. I also argued that if people like me who come from small cities (most people in Delhi come from such places) where even jeans & t-shirt are uncommon get agitated by it, so, according to their notion, even jeans & t-shirt should be banned. Is it possible today? NO. Then, why not accept the new trend and move forward.
Social changes have always been opposed in India, who at large is so proud of its culture. Be it Sati (probably eradicated now), castes, untouchability, or child marriages; everything is part of culture. What are we proud of?
On the other side, girls going vocal say (The famous sentence probably imported from western countries) "Don't teach us how to dress. Teach your boys not to rape." This is absolutely correct. Girls are not doing any damage to anyone by wearing dresses, but the rapers are. I support every human action coming out of his/her freedom that does not harm any other individual and oppose every action that does otherwise. However, what is this about raping with eyes (from BBC documentary on Indian women's safety)? Girls must have absolute freedom to wear anything they like. However, people will see what you are showing. If girls are "mentally harmed" by this, then it is their problem now.
I was discussing this topic with friends at lunch. One of them was saying that revealing clothes shouldn't be warn. According to him it was responsible for agitating male's feelings which in some cases led to eve teasing or harassment. According to him, the frequency of rapes was related to the amount of stimulation such clothing gave. Neither he nor I knew the statistics of rape all over India but it can be safely said that rapes even occur in Indian villages where women rarely come out without their faces covered (by pallu or burkha).
Anyways, he and other person who joined him said that revealing clothes did distract them and most men which in general is “mentally harming” them. I told them that a few years back wearing of jeans and t-shirt was uncommon and at that time, even 'that' harmed 'mentally'. So, why was that gradually accepted? This is because, the society evolves to new changes. After a few years, this revealing thing would also become normal in society. However, they did not agree. I also argued that if people like me who come from small cities (most people in Delhi come from such places) where even jeans & t-shirt are uncommon get agitated by it, so, according to their notion, even jeans & t-shirt should be banned. Is it possible today? NO. Then, why not accept the new trend and move forward.
Social changes have always been opposed in India, who at large is so proud of its culture. Be it Sati (probably eradicated now), castes, untouchability, or child marriages; everything is part of culture. What are we proud of?
On the other side, girls going vocal say (The famous sentence probably imported from western countries) "Don't teach us how to dress. Teach your boys not to rape." This is absolutely correct. Girls are not doing any damage to anyone by wearing dresses, but the rapers are. I support every human action coming out of his/her freedom that does not harm any other individual and oppose every action that does otherwise. However, what is this about raping with eyes (from BBC documentary on Indian women's safety)? Girls must have absolute freedom to wear anything they like. However, people will see what you are showing. If girls are "mentally harmed" by this, then it is their problem now.
